Home
by AmyVS7
Summary: Harry disappears after the war, is Hermione's confession to blame? But can Harry fix things between him and Hermione six years on? H/HR


**Harry Potter Fic:**

**Pairing:** Harry/Hermione

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, alright :(

**Summary:** Harry disappears after the war, is Hermione's confession to blame? But can Harry fix things between him and Hermione six years later?

I was given this plot idea by 'Fat ppl are harder to kidnap' so it's dedicated to him in a sense :) I hope you guys enjoy it, i'm going to try and make it so there are more chapters to come but we'll see. Anyway, hope you enjoy it!

**Home**

Hermione Granger stood with the rest of the Weasley family, all dressed in their formal black attires in The Burrow's back garden. Today was the anniversary of the ending of the war, six years had passed since that fateful day, and so much had changed for a lot of the family. Namely the fact that Ron was married to Luna Lovegood, whilst Ginny was happily married to the unlikely match of Draco Malfoy. It's safe to say the war had changed people, the way people perceived others, and the way others loyalties lay, all for the better Hermione thought. Despite the adjustments to the Weasley family, almost everything else had remained the same, from the crooked house to the kind-hearted family living within, even with the loss of loved ones, they had remained strong. Remained a family. After all that's what families do. They are there for eachother through the best and worst of times.

It was this feeling that made Hermione ever the more grateful to be a part of the Weasley family, she was not blood related, but the Weasley's had as good as adopted her. She had her own place now, but she regularly came over to stay at the Weasley's place, in Ron's room as it was the smallest bedroom in the house. Everyone else had juggled the rooms around to make room for all the couple's within the Weasley family. This still made Hermione sad. Knowing that she was in the single bedroom reminded her even more of her single status. The only one left among her family and friends yet to have got married, or at least be in a long term relationship.

Hermione thought life for herself would be a lot different by now, she thought she would be married and have kids. She had wanted this for years, but the one and only person she wanted this life with was the only person who was no longer around. Harry Potter. Hermione had admitted how she felt about Harry to Harry himself after he defeated Lord Voldemort, but he had run. Just like that. His last words echoing her in her mind "I'm sorry Hermione, I can't do this." And that was it. That was the last time any of them had heard or seen Harry Potter for six years. It was as if he had literally disappeared off the face of the Earth. Hermione had initially fought hard to try and find him, she wasn't willing to give up easily, but everyone agreed that after three years and still nothing, there was no hope left. Harry Potter was gone and he wasn't coming back.

Hermione had tried desperately to move on with her life, she was now a successful healer at St. Mungo's Hospital, but still one thing had not changed. No matter how hard she tried, she could not fall in love. Her heart still belonged with Harry, and nothing could change that.

Hermione gathered around with the rest of the Weasley's, all holding their glasses of champagne to celebrate the lives of the people who had survived the war, but also to make a toast to the people who had lost their lives that day, hoping that they had found peace wherever they may be. So many tears had been shed as each anniversary had passed, but that didn't make each anniversary all the more easier, in fact all the more harder.

"A toast" Mr. Weasley finished his speech with his last toast of the day, raising his glass "To all our future health, happiness and good fortune, may we all remember how lucky we all are to still be here."

"Here here" everyone concurred and drunk their drinks. As everyone began to chat, Ginny came over to Hermione, noticing how sad and lonesome her best friend looked. "Hey, Hermione, you alright?" she gave her a brief hug and Hermione gave her a small smile "Yeah...just thinking about everything y'know, I can't believe it's been six years."

"I know" Ginny said sadly, she put her arm around her best friend.

"Hey, guys" Bill shouted to the rest of the group "Whose that?" he pointed in the distance.

Everyone turned to look in the direction Bill was pointing and sure enough they could all see a lone figure walking swiftly towards them, as the figure got closer and closer his features became more definable. It was as if everyone's hearts had stopped beating. There he was, as clear as day, now within a few feet of everyone. Dressed in cargo trousers, walking boots, scruffy top and jacket. Stubble was present, but the trademark features of scruffy raven hair, lightning bolt scar and glasses gave away who it was. Harry Potter.

Hermione's eyes widened, tears filling them, she dropped her glass, smashing at her feet. Without knowing why she ran inside the house. No one followed her, no one tried to stop her. They were all preoccupied with seeing Harry.

It took Harry a good twenty minutes until the fussing over him had stopped, the hugs, the questions. Where had he been? Was he alright? Why hadn't he got into contact? All of them and many more, which Harry had been expecting, but whilst the questioning had gone on Harry had noticed Hermione was not amongst them. He had heard the smashing glass but had not seen Hermione escape. The Weasley family reluctantly let Harry go and find Hermione, by himself, whilst they stayed outside chatting amongst themselves.

Harry could not believe he was back in The Burrow once again, the place that felt like home, nothing had really changed. But none of that mattered, all Harry wanted to do was find Hermione. He eventually found her in Ron's old bedroom; she was sitting on the side of the bed, her head in her hands, crying heartedly.

"Hermione?" Harry said tentatively.

Hermione looked up at Harry, she had no mascara on, but her eyes looked red from crying. She didn't say anything to him, she was too shocked.

"Hermione? Are you alright?" Harry asked, stepping closer to her.

"Do I look alright?" she said angrily.

"No, course not, sorry ... I just, I thought that...I didn't expect this reaction from you."

"What did you expect from me Harry, huh?" she stood up, facing him directly "Did you expect me to run up to you and welcome you back with open arms?"

Harry looked down at his feet briefly, in his heart of hearts that is exactly how he had hoped Hermione would have reacted; everyone else had done, even if they had been extremely shocked.

Even after all this time, Hermione could still tell what Harry was thinking by a look.

"So you thought you'd just come back and everything would be alright?" Hermione said, aghast.

"Have you moved on?" Harry asked cautiously, yet quietly, getting straight to the point "Because if you have I'll walk out of here right now, you don't ever have to see me again...if that's what you want?"

"No of course that's not what I want!" she cried "Harry you've..." she sighed and gave an aggravated cry "You've really messed with my head, just turning up like this!" she held her head in her hands.

Harry felt very awkward, he didn't know whether he should continue standing there, or sit next to her on the bed and comfort her. Neither of these actions felt right. But Hermione made it easy for him as she lifted her head and looked back at him "I thought you were dead! None of us had heard anything from you for six years! Six years, Harry! You could have phoned, or sent an owl message, even a bloody postcard would have done, anything to let us know you were okay!" Her tears and the emotion in her voice proved to Harry how badly he had hurt her "You broke my heart!"

"Hermione" he tried to reach out to touch her arm.

"No, Harry!" she shrugged him off, wiping the tears from her cheeks "I can't do this right now!"

And she ran out of the room and hurried down the stairs. Harry was hot on her heels though.

"Hermione!" he managed to catch up to her in the living-room "Please, just hear me out...that's all I ask of you, just give me time to explain."

"Harry...I can't..."

"Please" he pleaded with her. Something in Harry's eyes made Hermione stop and gaze at them; they had changed since she last saw him. They were a brighter shade of emerald, yet behind them held darkness, like something mysterious. It made Hermione frown. The whole way Harry stood, and held himself, it was like he had developed a new sense of confidence, and power, not afraid of anything, full of determination.

Hermione sighed "I'm listening."

Harry gave her a grateful look, but remained serious "Hermione, the reason I ran off, it wasn't because of what you told me. I needed to find myself, I've had nothing but turmoil and heartache my entire life, I've destroyed so many lives, and caused so much pain to so many people, even losing some of the closest people to me...it all just got too much, I just needed to escape. Maybe it was the coward's way out, I don't know, but I can't change time, Hermione. It's been done, and I know I shouldn't have done it, I'm so incredible sorry, I cannot apologise enough for what I've done. I know I can never make up for the six years I've missed with you, with everyone...but all I'm asking, is for you to let me try?" he looked at Hermione seriously "You can all hate me if you want, I wouldn't blame you, just...over time, can I start to become part of your life again? Will you let me back in?"

Hermione was gazing at Harry with tears in her eyes; she walked very slowly up to Harry, not once taking her eyes from his. She stretched out her hand and touched his chest, checking he was definitely real, she then moved her hand to his right cheek "You're back?"

Harry gave a smile "Forever, if you'll let me?"

Hermione gave the smallest of smiles and hugged him with all her might, her angry thoughts could never win over the overwhelming feeling of love she still felt for him. He was back, and here to stay. "Oh Harry!"

Harry wrapped his arms tightly around her torso, not willing to let go of the person he had missed most for the past six years. She cried, Harry cried, the emotions of the past six years finally flowing free.

Once they had calmed themselves down, Hermione broke out of the hug to look at Harry and she then did something unorthodox, she slapped Harry clean across the face.

"Ow!" Harry cried, holding his face.

"Don't you _ever _put me through that again, if you walk out ever again, that's it, I'll never want to see or hear from you again, do you understand?" she was like a teacher, telling off a naughty pupil.

"I won't Hermione, I swear" Harry replied, rubbing his cheek.

"Good...and I'm sorry I had to do that, I just" she sighed "Six years, Harry! It's a long time!"

"I know" Harry replied sorrowfully "And I will never be able to apologise enough...But Hermione, there was another reason why I stayed away for so long...something happened to me, something really life changing ... and I was ashamed, ashamed you wouldn't accept me back if you knew what I had become."

"Harry, what are you talking about?"

Harry sighed "Hermione, I'm a werewolf."

Hermione's eyes widened "What! ... Harry, what are you on about, you can't be a werewolf?"

"I was bitten" he rolled up the long sleeves of his jacket and showed her the bite mark.

Hermione put her hand to her mouth "Oh my god, Harry!"

He pulled his sleeve back down "I didn't know what to do... I was so scared, Hermione."

"You should have come home!" Hermione stressed "We could have got you to the hospital, given you the right medication, it's a controllable condition with the right medication...why did you make yourself suffer like that, when your family are here to look after you?"

"I didn't think you'd want anything to do with me..."

"Oh Harry, come on, did you really think that?" Hermione raised her eyebrows slightly "Bill has the same condition, do we treat him any differently?"

Harry shook his head, looking shamefully down at his hands "I don't know what to do, Hermione" he looked back up at her with his eyes full of tears "I don't know where I belong anymore."

"You belong here" Mrs. Weasley appeared in the room followed by the family, all smiling at Harry "With your family."

Hermione took Harry's hand and sat closer to him "No matter what."

Harry tried to smile thankfully but his emotions got the better of him and he cried, Hermione hugged him, she knew how much Harry regretted everything he had done, but now he just needed them all, their comfort, love and more importantly their support.


End file.
